UNKNOWN AVANT-GARDE

2007

UNKNOWN AVANT-GARDE consists of a selection of ten historic photographs depicting well-known artists’ groups of the 20th century (Dada, the Surrealists, the Bauhaus etc.). In each case the photograph itself has become as much part of art history as the artists and the groups portrayed by it. The other common feature of these photographs is the presence of one woman among many exclusively male colleagues. The images thus also demonstrate the isolated position assigned to women by art history.

The photographs are complemented by documentation of research on female artists of the avant-gardes. The legends added to the photographs refer to women Dadaists, Surrealists, Situationists etc. who are missing from the group portraits and have therefore remained invisible to art history. Therefore the captions counter the photographs and correct and rewrite art history.